An underwater robot cleaning structure
By designing an underwater robot cleaning structure with adjustable cleaning blades and a gear transmission mechanism, the problem of easy entanglement and clogging of the cleaning head has been solved, achieving efficient cleaning and self-cleaning functions for the hull, thus improving operational efficiency and equipment reliability.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CIVIL AVIATION FLIGHT UNIV OF CHINA
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
AI Technical Summary
When cleaning ships, existing underwater robot cleaning structures are prone to marine organism residue getting entangled and clogged on the cleaning head, resulting in poor cleaning effect and affecting continuous and efficient operation.
An underwater robot cleaning structure was designed, which includes adjustable cleaning blades and a gear transmission mechanism. The cleaning head can change its orientation synchronously with the second mounting plate. Combined with the spiral cleaning blades and conical mounting blades, it can achieve efficient cleaning of the complex curved surfaces of the hull and throw out the residue through dynamic angle. It is equipped with a waterproof cover to protect the motor and ensure stable operation of the equipment.
It significantly improves cleaning coverage and efficiency, avoids residue entanglement, extends equipment life, reduces operation and maintenance costs, and achieves efficient automated cleaning.
Smart Images
Figure CN224427757U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of underwater robot technology, and in particular to an underwater robot cleaning structure. Background Technology
[0002] In the field of ship operation and maintenance, the hulls are constantly immersed in seawater, making the problems of marine organism attachment and corrosion increasingly prominent. The proliferation of marine organisms on the hull not only significantly increases the ship's weight, causing a surge in drag and a substantial increase in fuel consumption—statistics show that severe fouling can increase fuel consumption by 2.5%. For example, regularly cleaning a 50,000-ton oil tanker every two years can save up to 2,000 tons of fuel, worth approximately $500,000—but also corrodes the hull, shortening its service life and seriously affecting its safety and economic efficiency.
[0003] For a long time, underwater cleaning operations for ships have been crucial. Traditional methods have relied heavily on manual removal, requiring divers to endure high-pressure environments (one atmosphere of pressure increases with every 10 meters underwater), low temperatures (seawater temperatures are often below 10°C), and oxygen deficiency (oxygen requirements reach 140-160 breaths per minute). This approach is not only inefficient but also consumes a significant amount of manpower and time for each cleaning operation, resulting in extreme labor intensity and high safety risks. While modern high-pressure water jet technology has made breakthroughs in cleaning efficiency, effectively removing hull coatings, rust, and biofouling through pure water or quartz abrasive spraying at pressures of 40-250 MPa and flow rates of 20-39 L / min, this technology requires the ship to operate out of the water, necessitating large dry dock facilities. This not only incurs high dry dock usage costs but also limits the flexibility of ship operations, significantly hindering its widespread application. This is especially true for the numerous large ships (49.4%) exceeding 50,000 tons worldwide, where the drawbacks of this technology are even more pronounced.
[0004] With the development of technology, underwater cleaning robots have emerged as a key solution to the aforementioned problems. Underwater cleaning robots can replace high-intensity diver work, significantly shorten dock maintenance time (by 30%-50%), and improve dock turnover rate.
[0005] For example, the patent application number "200510127370.2, Dual-tracked robot with permanent magnet adsorption for cleaning ship hull surfaces" utilizes dual tracks for adsorption and movement, and cleans the ship hull surface using a rotating brush carried by the robot body. However, the tracked structure makes the robot relatively bulky, with poor turning flexibility, and the mechanical cleaning method of the rotating brush is prone to damaging the ship hull surface. Against the backdrop of the booming shipping industry and the increasing trend towards larger ships, large dock resources are becoming increasingly scarce, and my country has a significant shortage in the number of large docks. Developing underwater multi-functional cleaning robots is of great significance for reducing shipping costs, extending ship lifespan, and alleviating the shortage of dock resources. It is an urgent need to address the shortcomings of my country's large docks and enhance the competitiveness of the shipbuilding and repair industry. Utility Model Content
[0006] In view of this, this utility model provides an underwater robot cleaning structure to solve the problem that existing underwater robot cleaning structures are prone to marine organism residue entanglement and blockage when cleaning ships, resulting in poor cleaning effect and affecting continuous and efficient operation.
[0007] This utility model provides an underwater robot cleaning structure, including: a mounting body, including a mounting frame and a second mounting plate disposed at the bottom of the mounting frame; a cleaning mechanism, including a plurality of cleaning units, the plurality of cleaning units being disposed at intervals on the second mounting plate; wherein, the mounting frame includes a first mounting plate having a sliding groove, the second mounting plate having a plurality of transmission teeth inside that can mesh with gears, the second mounting plate being disposed in the sliding groove, and being driven to rotate within the sliding groove by the cooperation of a gear transmission mechanism and the transmission teeth; wherein, the cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning motor covered by a waterproof cover and a cleaning blade driven by the cleaning motor.
[0008] Preferably, the mounting frame further includes a mounting body composed of several spaced partitions; the partitions include a first partition, a second partition, and a third partition; both the second partition and the second partition are provided with several through holes.
[0009] Preferably, the first mounting plate and the third partition are spaced apart; the first mounting plate includes a plurality of support arms spaced at an angle; the ends of the support arms are provided with a first curved portion and a second curved portion, and there is a gap between the first curved portion and the second curved portion; the slide is formed by the first curved portion and the second curved portion of the plurality of support arms.
[0010] Preferably, the gear transmission mechanism includes a drive motor fixed to the mounting body and covered by a waterproof cover, and a drive gear connected to the drive motor via a transmission shaft; the drive gear meshes with the transmission gear.
[0011] Preferably, the cleaning unit includes a connecting shaft connected to the second mounting plate and a cleaning blade head disposed at the bottom of the connecting shaft; an adjustment part is also provided between the connecting shaft and the cleaning blade head; the cleaning motor is disposed between the adjustment part and the cleaning blade head and is drively connected to the cleaning blade head.
[0012] Preferably, the adjusting part includes an adjusting frame and a plurality of adjusting rollers disposed between the adjusting frame; an adjusting spring is provided between each of the telescopic rollers.
[0013] Preferably, the cleaning motor is fixedly connected to the bottom of the mounting bracket, and the cleaning head angle is finely adjusted when the cleaning head is squeezed.
[0014] Preferably, the cleaning head includes a tapered mounting blade and a plurality of cleaning blades disposed in the bottom cavity of the mounting blade; the plurality of cleaning blades are arranged in a spiral shape and there is a gap between each pair of cleaning blades.
[0015] Preferably, the bottom cavity of the mounting blade is further provided with an inverted conical mounting body; a plurality of cleaning blades are arranged at intervals on the mounting body.
[0016] Preferably, the bottom of the cleaning blade is provided with a cleaning surface, the cleaning surface is sharpened, and the cleaning surface is inclined.
[0017] The underwater robot cleaning structure provided by this utility model has the following beneficial effects:
[0018] In this invention, the design of the second mounting plate rotating based on the groove of the first mounting plate allows the cleaning blade mounted on the second mounting plate to change its orientation synchronously, precisely conforming to complex curved surfaces of the hull, such as the arc section of the bottom and the keel groove, significantly improving cleaning coverage and effectiveness. When the blade comes into contact with stubborn marine organisms or rust, the gear transmission mechanism drives the second mounting plate to rotate slowly. The spiral cleaning blades of the blade cut into the bottom layer of dirt with their inclined cutting surfaces, and the rotational thrust of the conical mounting blades achieves efficient removal of the biofilm layer. At the same time, during rotation, the dynamic angle formed between the blade and the hull surface allows the removed residue to be thrown out along the gaps between the spiral blades, preventing residue accumulation and entanglement. The adjusting roller and adjusting spring in the adjusting part adapt to the undulations of the hull surface through elastic buffering, ensuring that the blade always contacts the hull with optimal pressure, ensuring cleaning power while preventing excessive pressure that could damage the coating. This design overcomes the cleaning blind spots of traditional fixed structures by dynamically adjusting the blade's orientation and contact angle, simultaneously achieving efficient cleaning and self-cleaning functions, significantly improving the operational efficiency and reliability of underwater robots. Attached Figure Description
[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments of this utility model will be briefly introduced below. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort, and these are all within the protection scope of this utility model.
[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an underwater robot cleaning structure.
[0021] Figure 2 These are structural diagrams of the first and second mounting plates;
[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the adjustment section;
[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning blade;
[0024] Parts and their numbers in the diagram:
[0025] 110-Mounting bracket, 111-First partition, 112-Second partition, 113-Third partition, 120-First mounting plate, 121-Support arm, 122-First bend, 123-Second bend, 124-Slide groove, 130-Second mounting plate, 131-Transmission gear, 132-Transmission shaft, 133-Drive gear;
[0026] 210-Cleaning unit, 211-Connecting shaft, 212-Adjusting part, 213-Adjusting frame, 214-Adjusting roller, 215-Adjusting spring, 216-Waterproof cover, 217-Cleaning blade, 218-Installation blade, 219-Installation body, 220-Cleaning blade, 221-Cleaning surface. Detailed Implementation
[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are merely used to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element. Unless otherwise specified, embodiments of the present invention and the various features thereof can be combined with each other, all within the protection scope of the present invention.
[0028] Example 1
[0029] Please see Figure 1 This utility model provides an underwater robot cleaning structure. During ship navigation, a large amount of marine organisms and algae, among other pollutants, adhere to the hull. These deposits increase the ship's drag, leading to increased fuel consumption. Traditional manual removal methods are inefficient and labor-intensive, while modern high-pressure water jet technology efficiently removes coatings, rust, and biofouling through pure water or quartz abrasive spraying. However, this method requires the ship to operate out of the water, limiting its application.
[0030] Therefore, this embodiment provides a structure for efficiently cleaning attachments to the hull. This cleaning structure, with its adjustable cleaning blades, can adapt to hull surfaces of varying curvatures, ensuring a uniform and thorough cleaning effect. The waterproof cover 216 effectively prevents seawater from entering the transmission components, extending the equipment's service life. During the cleaning process, the drive gear 133 drives the cleaning unit to reciprocate via the transmission shaft 132, achieving efficient removal of attachments from the hull bottom.
[0031] Please see Figure 1 In this embodiment, a cleaning structure for an underwater robot is provided. The cleaning structure includes a mounting body 110 and a cleaning mechanism disposed on the mounting body 110. The mounting body 110 includes a mounting frame 110 and a second mounting plate 130 disposed at the bottom of the mounting frame 110. The cleaning mechanism includes a plurality of cleaning units 210, which are spaced apart on the second mounting plate 130. The mounting frame 110 includes a first mounting plate 120 with a sliding groove 124. The second mounting plate 130 has a plurality of transmission teeth 131 that can mesh with gears inside. The second mounting plate 130 is disposed in the sliding groove 124 and can be driven to rotate in the sliding groove 124 by the cooperation of the gear transmission mechanism and the transmission teeth 131. The cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning motor covered by a waterproof cover 216 and a cleaning blade 217 driven by the cleaning motor.
[0032] In use, the overall cleaning structure is mounted on the underwater robot via the mounting body 110. The underwater robot's movement moves the cleaning structure to the intended cleaning position, and then the cleaning motor drives the cleaning head 217 to rotate, efficiently cutting and removing underwater deposits. During the cleaning process, some deposits may adhere to the cleaning head 217. At this time, by driving the second mounting plate 130, each cleaning unit 210 rotates based on the first mounting plate 120, causing the deposits to be cut off under cutting or centrifugal force and flung off the blade surface under the high-speed centrifugal force, achieving self-cleaning and ensuring continuous and efficient cleaning operations. The rotation angle of the cleaning structure can be precisely adjusted according to actual needs to adapt to cleaning deposits of different shapes and positions. The waterproof cover 216 effectively protects the cleaning motor from water pressure and corrosion, extending the equipment's service life. This modular design facilitates maintenance and replacement of damaged parts, significantly reducing the underwater robot's operation and maintenance costs.
[0033] Furthermore, the angle of the second mounting plate 130 can be adjusted according to the actual cleaning needs, ensuring that the cleaning unit 210 always contacts the cleaning surface in the optimal posture. The waterproof cover 216 effectively protects the motor from water pressure and corrosion, ensuring long-term stable operation of the equipment. After cleaning is completed, the underwater robot can carry the cleaning structure to the next work area or return to the surface. This design achieves automation and precision in underwater cleaning operations, significantly improving work efficiency and safety.
[0034] Further, please see Figure 1 The mounting frame 110 also includes a mounting body 110 composed of several partitions arranged at intervals; the partitions include a first partition 111, a second partition 112 and a third partition 113; the second partition 112 and the third partition 113 are each provided with several through holes.
[0035] This design effectively disperses the impact force of the water flow through the through-holes, improving structural stability. The first baffle 111 and the third baffle 113 form the main supporting frame, while the second baffle 112 serves as an intermediate buffer layer. This layered design ensures overall strength while reducing the weight of the equipment. The through-holes are arranged in a streamlined manner, ensuring smooth water flow without affecting the load-bearing capacity of the baffles. This modular baffle design allows for flexible configuration according to different operational needs; when additional functional components are required, they can be easily added by extending and installing them at the corresponding baffle locations.
[0036] Further, please see Figure 2 The first mounting plate 120 and the third partition plate 113 are spaced apart; the first mounting plate 120 includes a plurality of support arms 121 arranged at an angle; the end of each support arm 121 is provided with a first curved portion 122 and a second curved portion 123, and there is a gap between the first curved portion 122 and the second curved portion 123; the slide groove 124 is formed by the first curved portion 122 and the second curved portion 123 of the plurality of support arms 121.
[0037] Each support arm 121 has a first bend 122 and a second bend 123 at its end, with a certain distance between them to facilitate subsequent assembly and disassembly. The entire slide 124 is composed of the first bend 122 and the second bend 123 of these support arms 121, forming a continuous sliding path.
[0038] Further, please see Figure 2The design, including the curved sections and the spacing between the first curved section 122 and the second curved section 123, greatly facilitates the disassembly of the second mounting plate 130. This design not only simplifies maintenance but also allows the second mounting plate 130 to rotate flexibly based on the groove 124 of the first mounting plate 120. When the second mounting plate 130 rotates based on the first mounting plate 120, this rotation mechanism effectively drives the cleaning unit 210 to perform self-cleaning, thereby maintaining the cleanliness and efficient operation of the equipment.
[0039] Further, please see Figure 2 The gear transmission mechanism includes a drive motor fixed to the mounting body 110 and covered by a waterproof cover 216, and a drive gear 133 connected to the drive motor via a transmission shaft 132; the drive gear 133 meshes with the transmission gear 131.
[0040] When self-cleaning is required, the drive motor starts, rotating the transmission shaft 132, which in turn causes the drive gear 133 to mesh and rotate with the transmission gear 131. This gear transmission design ensures smooth and reliable power transmission, maintaining good performance even in humid environments. When used in water, it can be covered with a casing to prevent marine debris from entangled in the gears. The waterproof cover 216 effectively prevents seawater and debris from entering the motor, extending the equipment's service life. When the transmission system is running, the cleaning unit 210 follows the second mounting plate 130, rotating regularly along a preset trajectory to thoroughly clean the debris adhering to the surface of the cleaning head 217.
[0041] Furthermore, the cleaning unit 210 includes a connecting shaft 211 connected to the second mounting plate 130 and a cleaning blade 217 disposed at the bottom of the connecting shaft 211; an adjustment part 212 is also provided between the connecting shaft 211 and the cleaning blade 217; the cleaning motor is disposed between the adjustment part 212 and the cleaning blade 217 and is drively connected to the cleaning blade 217.
[0042] Please see Figure 4 The cleaning head 217 includes a tapered mounting blade 218 and a plurality of cleaning blades 220 disposed in the bottom cavity of the mounting blade 218; the plurality of cleaning blades 220 are arranged in a spiral shape and there is a gap between each pair of cleaning blades 220.
[0043] During use, the cleaning motor drives the cleaning blades 220 to rotate. The spirally arranged blades form a continuous cutting surface during rotation, effectively breaking down and removing attached materials. The conical design of the mounting blades 218 helps guide water flow, reduces operating resistance, and enhances the efficiency of debris removal during the cleaning process. The reasonable spacing between the blades ensures cleaning intensity while preventing material blockage.
[0044] Furthermore, the bottom of the cleaning blade 220 is provided with a cleaning surface 221, which is sharpened and inclined.
[0045] The bottom cavity of the mounting blade 218 is also provided with an inverted conical mounting body 219; a plurality of cleaning blades 220 are arranged at intervals on the mounting body 219.
[0046] During the cleaning operation on the hull bottom, the cleaning units 210 in the cleaning structure all contact the hull bottom, driving the cleaning head 217 to remove the attached materials. The inclined blade design of the cleaning blade 220 allows for better cutting into stubborn attachments, improving cleaning efficiency. The cleaning surface 221 forms an appropriate angle with the hull bottom surface, generating shearing force during rotation to effectively remove barnacles, algae, and other marine organisms. Simultaneously, this design reduces direct friction between the blades and the hull's metal surface, preventing damage to the hull coating. Debris generated during cleaning is discharged with the water flow from the gaps between the spiral blades, preventing secondary adhesion. The entire system employs closed-loop control, allowing adjustment of cleaning pressure and rotation speed according to the thickness of the attached materials, achieving highly efficient operation.
[0047] Further, please see Figure 3 The adjustment part 212 includes an adjustment frame 213 and a plurality of adjustment rollers 214 disposed between the adjustment frame 213; an adjustment spring 215 is provided between each of the adjustment rollers 214.
[0048] The cleaning motor is fixedly connected to the bottom of the mounting bracket 110, and can make fine adjustments to the angle of the cleaning head 217 when the cleaning head 217 is squeezed.
[0049] When the cleaning unit 210 cleans the hull bottom, the cleaning head 217 rotates to remove the attached materials. Vibration occurs due to the contact between the cleaning head 217 and the attached materials. Without the adjustment mechanism 212, the attached materials would make hard contact with the cleaning head 217, causing it to wear or be damaged easily. The adjustment mechanism 212 effectively absorbs and buffers this vibration, adapting to attachments of varying hardness by adjusting the elastic deformation of the spring 215. The arrangement of the adjusting rollers 214 allows the cleaning head 217 to automatically adjust its angle according to the slight undulations of the hull surface while maintaining stable pressure. This adaptive adjustment mechanism not only extends the service life of the cleaning head 217 but also ensures the uniformity and thoroughness of the cleaning operation. When encountering particularly hard attachments, the adjusting spring 215 will compress appropriately to prevent excessive reaction force from being transmitted to the entire cleaning system.
[0050] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.
Claims
1. An underwater robot cleaning structure, characterized in that, include: The mounting body (219) includes a mounting bracket (110) and a second mounting plate (130) disposed at the bottom of the mounting bracket (110); The cleaning mechanism includes a plurality of cleaning units (210), which are spaced apart on the second mounting plate (130); The mounting bracket (110) includes a first mounting plate (120) with a slide groove (124), and a second mounting plate (130) has a plurality of transmission teeth (131) that can mesh with gears inside. The second mounting plate (130) is disposed in the slide groove (124) and can be driven to rotate in the slide groove (124) by the cooperation of the gear transmission mechanism and the transmission teeth (131). The cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning motor covered by a waterproof cover (216) and a cleaning blade (217) driven by the cleaning motor.
2. The underwater robot cleaning structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting frame (110) also includes a mounting body composed of several spaced partitions; The partition includes a first partition (111), a second partition (112), and a third partition (113); Both the second partition (112) and the third partition (113) are provided with several through holes.
3. The underwater robot cleaning structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first mounting plate (120) and the third partition plate (113) are spaced apart; The first mounting plate (120) includes a plurality of support arms (121) arranged at angular intervals; The end of the support arm (121) is provided with a first curved part (122) and a second curved part (123), and there is a gap between the first curved part (122) and the second curved part (123). The slide (124) is formed by a first bend (122) and a second bend (123) of a plurality of the support arms (121).
4. The underwater robot cleaning structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gear transmission mechanism includes a drive motor fixed to the mounting body (219) and covered by a waterproof cover (216), and a drive gear (133) connected to the drive motor via a transmission shaft (132); The drive gear (133) meshes with the transmission gear (131).
5. The underwater robot cleaning structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning unit (210) includes a connecting shaft (211) connected to the second mounting plate (130) and a cleaning blade (217) disposed at the bottom of the connecting shaft (211); An adjustment part (212) is also provided between the connecting shaft (211) and the cleaning head (217); The cleaning motor is located between the adjustment part (212) and the cleaning head (217) and is connected to the cleaning head (217) in a transmission manner.
6. The underwater robot cleaning structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The adjustment unit (212) includes an adjustment frame (213) and a plurality of adjustment rollers (214) disposed between the adjustment frames (213); An adjusting spring (215) is provided between each of the adjusting rollers (214).
7. The underwater robot cleaning structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cleaning motor is fixedly connected to the bottom of the mounting bracket (110) and can make fine adjustments to the angle of the cleaning head (217) when the cleaning head (217) is squeezed.
8. The underwater robot cleaning structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning head (217) includes a tapered mounting blade (218) and a plurality of cleaning blades (220) disposed in the bottom cavity of the mounting blade (218); The cleaning blades (220) are arranged in a spiral shape and there is a gap between each pair of cleaning blades (220).
9. The underwater robot cleaning structure according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bottom cavity of the mounting leaf (218) is also provided with a mounting body (219) in the shape of an inverted cone; Several cleaning blades (220) are spaced apart on the mounting body (219).
10. The underwater robot cleaning structure according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bottom of the cleaning blade (220) is provided with a cleaning surface (221), and the cleaning surface (221) is sharpened. Furthermore, the cleaning surface (221) is inclined.